Thread pulling device



Jan. 29, 1957 H. KAsTRlNsKY THREAD PULLING DEVICE Filed Nov. 23, 1955 li J ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oi THREAD PULLING DEVICE Harry Kastrinsky, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Kastrinsky Machine Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 23, 1955, Serial No. 548,714

1 Claim. (Cl. 28-17) This invention relates to a thread pulling device.

ln various manufacturing or processing operations, it is often necessary -to remove thread from various fabric or textile blanks. For example, in the manufacture of sweaters and other knitwear, various types of trim elements are secured together with threads as they leave the knitting machines. Before they can be used in production, these elements must be separated from each other by withdrawing the threads that bind them together. Heretofore, this was performed by a manual operation which, in addition to being costly, was also a time consuming operation which tended to slow down the manufacturing process for the finished article. Therefo-re, the primary object of the present invention is to obviate the disadvantages of the prior art.

Another object is the provision of a highly novel thread pulling device.

A further object is the provision of a rel-atively simple thread pulling device which can be manufactured and sold ata comparatively lowcost and which can be utilized with conventional equipment.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention Will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best modes presently contemplated of carrying out the invention;

Fig. l is a perspective view of thread pulling apparatus pursuant to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of Fig. l, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 illustrates a portion of -a material blank from which the thread is being pulled.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral generally indicates a blank of textile material which has been knitted on a circular knitting machine. As

here shown, the blank 10 is `constituted by a plurality of peripherally continuous bodies or endless bands 12, each of which is interconnected or secured to the adjacent body 12 by a thread 14 which, as here shown, extends in zig-zag fashion across the adjacent marginal edges of the bodies 12. The bodies 12 may constitute trim elements for sweaters or the like, Which must be separated from each other before they can be used. Pursuant to the present invention provision is made for a thread pulling device 16 to withdraw the threads 14 from the blank 10 so as to separate the bodies 12 from each other.

T'he device 16 is incorporated in the apparatus 18 which, as here shown, includes a table or support 20 which mounts a drive shaft 22 and a driven shaft 24. The drive shaft 22 is suitably journalled in bearings 26 mounted by the struts 28 of the table 20. The shaft 22 is driven by the electric motor 30 through a belt and pulley drive constituted by the pulley 32 provided on the shaft of motor 30, the pulley 34 keyed to the drive shaft 22 and the belt 36 interconnecting the pulleys 32 land 34. In order to v 2,779,084 Patentedy Jan. 291,

ice

drive the driven shaft 24, provision is made for a sprocket wheel drive constituted by the sprocket Wheel 38 keyed to the drive shaft 22 and connected throughA a sprocket chain 40 to the sprocket wheel 42 which oats on the driven shaft 24. A conventional clutch 44 is provided on the driven shaft 24 for coupling the sprocket Wheel 42 thereto.

ln order to operate the clutch 44 for controlling the operation of the driven shaft 24, provision is made for the foot pedal lever 46 pivotally mounted, as at 4S, to the strut S0 of the table 20. The lever 46 is guided for movement in a slot 52 provided in the bracket 54 mounted on the base 56 of the table 20. A compression spring 58 is interposed between the bracket 54 :and the lever 46 to bias the latter to the inoperative position thereof illustrated in Fig. 1. An operating member 60 for the clutch 44 is pivotally mounted in the table 20, as at 62. The free end of the lever 60 is pivotally connected, as at 64, to one end of :a floating link 66, the other end of which is pivotally connected, as at 68, to one end -of the oating link 70, which is pivotally connected, as at 72, to the pedal lever 46. The driven shaft 24 is journalled in the bearing 74 and by the bracket 76 provided on the table Ztl. From the foregoing, it will be understood that when the pedal 46 is depressed to compress the spring 58, the clutch lever 60 is rocked in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. l, to engage the plates 78 `and 80 of the clutch 44 to effect the drive of the shaft 24 by the motor drive which includes the motor 30 coupled to the drive shaft 22 and the latter coupled to the shaft 24.

As here shown, the shaft 24 mounts a brake drum 82 which is adapted to be engaged by a companion brake member 84 provided on the link 86 which is pivoted, -as at 88, on the link 66 :and extends through a slot 85 in bracket 76. Therefore, it will be understood that when the foot' pedal 46 is depressed as previously described, to operate the shaft 24, the brake member 84 is simultaneously disengaged from the brake drum 82 so that the shaft 24 is free to rotate. Upon release of the foot pedal 46, the compressed spring 58 expands so `as to operate the linkage and 66 both to disengage the clutch 44 and to engage the brake member 84 and the brake drum 82 to discontinue the rotation of the shaft 24. lt will be observed that slot 85, through which link 86 extends, prevents any considerable front to rear movement of said link with the result that movement of link 66 is effective to rock link 60 about pivot 62 for operating the clutch.

Pursuant to the present invention, the thread pulling device 16 is mounted on the driven shaft 24. As here shown, the ydevice 16 is constituted by a cylinder or drum 90 of suitable material, such :as wood, metal, etc., having an axial bore 92 for mounting on the shaft 24, a set screw 94 releasably securing the drum 9d in position on the shaft 24. At one end thereof, the drum 90 is provided with a handle or hand grip 93 and at the other end thereof is provided with a flange 95.

As here shown peripherally thereof, the drum 99 is provided With four yaxial slots or peripheral recesses 96. The previously identified set screw 94 extends from one of said slots to the bore 92. Transversely of each slot 96, the 'drum 90 mounts a hook or thread-engaging part 9S, the cut-outs 100 accommodating the free ends of the hooks.

In utilizing the thread pulling device 16 ot' the present invention, the blank lll, from which the threads 14 are to be pulled, may be suitably positioned or disposed on a table or support 102 positioned adjacent the previously described table 20, and provided, at the marginal edge thereof adjacent the table 20, with a guide bracket 104. Each thread 14, which extends completely about each pair of adjacent bodies 12, is initially severed at the ends of the body members remote from the thread pulling device 16, as best illustrated in Figs. l and 4. Thereafter,

afrraosa each thread 14 is withdrawn, from the other ends of the body members, in the form of a loop 10S which extends from the edge of the blank 1t) adjacent the thread pulling device 16. ,A plurality of loops 10S are engaged on one of the hooks 93, as best illustrated in Figs. l and 2. It will be noted that the loops extend from the blank 10 through the guide bracket 1M- to the thread pulling device 16. Any suitable device (not illustrated) may be utilized to releasably retain the blank 10 in position on the table M2, or the operator may hold the blank in the illustrated disposition thereof.

Upon depression of the foot lever 46, the brake drum S2 will be disengaged by the brake member 84 and the clutch 44 will be engaged so that the continuously rotating sprocket wheel 42 will drive the driven shaft 24 in the direction of the arrow 11u. This will efect the rotation of the thread pulling device '.16 so as to wind the loops 168 onto the drurn @il until the threads 14 are completely withdrawn from the blank 1d. As soon as the L threads attached to the device 16 are completely Withdrawn from the blank itl, the foot pedal lever is released to discontinue the operation of the thread pulling device 16. The detached members or parts 12 may then be removed from the table and the blank it? is advanced f to dispose the next series of parts 12 in position for the thread pulling operation,

When tie device 1.6 has to be rotatably adjustedv so that a hook 9&5 thereof may be properly disposed for initial engagement by the loops 1118, the handle 96 may be utilized for this purpose, it being understood that the braking action of the brake member S4 against the drum 8 is such as to permit such manual movement or rotation of the drum '5.6 as may be necessary for said adjustment thereof. The threads wound upon the device 16 may be readily removed therefrom through the use of a suitable pair of shears, knife or other cutting implement, which may be readily inserted into the various slots 96 outwardly of the shanks of hooks 9S, for the purpose of severing the' threads.

The device 16 may be utilized to withdraw threads simultaneously from a plurality of blanks lll. In this connection, a plurality of blanks may be stacked upon each other and overlying loops 133 from said blanks may be engaged on a hook 93 to simultaneously withdraw threads 14 from said blanks.

As the threads 14 are wound about the drum 90, they accumulate thereon and the accumulated threads are retained on the drum by the ilange 9d thereof. This prevents the wound threads from spilling onto the apparatus 18.

While l have shown and described the preferred ernbodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device for pulling threads from a material blank or the like, comprising an elongated cylindrical member provided with a part which is accessible at the circumference of said cylindrical member for engagement by a thread extending from the blank, whereby, upon rotation of said cylindrical member about its axis, the thread will wind circumferentially about said cylinder to be pulled from said blank, and an axially extending recess dened in the surface of said cylinder for receiving a thread cutting irnplernent to sever the wound thread, said thread engaging part constituting a hook extending transversely of said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 913,328 Uebelniesser Feb. 23, 1909 2,238,992 Croft et al Apr. 22, 1941 2,262,101 Harris Nov. 11, 1941 2,422,154 Weller June l0, 1947 

